Statement on NextGen Roadmap Climate Bill

Statement from Senate President Karen E. Spilka, Speaker Ronald Mariano, Senator Michael J. Barrett, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and Jeffrey N. Roy, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy:

“We can fight climate change, grow the economy, and support the most vulnerable at the same time. Doing all three is the mission the Legislature accepted in originally passing The Next Generation Roadmap bill and the actions of the House and the Senate will preserve this mission intact.

On Thursday, the Senate plans to take up Governor Baker’s amendments to the NextGen Roadmap bill. The House will then act quickly to send the bill back to the Governor’s desk.

The proposal the Senate intends to debate today preserves the boldness of the original conference committee report, including: statewide emissions limits and subsector limits every five years to reach 50% reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050; criteria to define and strengthen protections for environmental justice populations; a specialized energy code that will allow for net-zero building construction for towns that want it; an increase in the requirements for offshore wind energy procurement; and low-income solar set-asides within the statewide solar incentive program.”